Oh, by the way there is no military coup says ZDF spokesperson, Major General Sibusiso Busi Moyo, who was flanked by Air Vice Marshall Jacob Nzvede;

I heard that. I dislike Bob and kind of hope he dies a horrible, painful death. Just the same, using the military to remove a leader, take over the television stations and install your chosen head of state sure seems like a coup.

Taking the actions that they did and then saying "no coup" is akin to groping another mans crotch while saying "no homo."

I heard that. I dislike Bob and kind of hope he dies a horrible, painful death. Just the same, using the military to remove a leader, take over the television stations and install your chosen head of state sure seems like a coup.

Taking the actions that they did and then saying "no coup" is akin to groping another mans crotch while saying "no homo."

Well, Bob is a revered hero to many in his tribe, as well as to others. Many of these people are poorly educated and impoverished and have seen nothing but pro-Mugabe propaganda for decades. Soft pedaling the current situation to avoid violence seems prudent.

Beyond that, Mugabe has been running a kleptocracy all these years. In doing so he's decimated the economy and society as a whole. In most non-western countries constitutions, courts, the rule of law are meaningless. When their governing documents serve the dictator, fine, when they don't they are ignored. Isn't it possible the military wants to remove Mugabe and his cronies, and install a government that begins to live up to the democratic standards they claim?

It's way too early to say that isn't their goal. Whether that's even possible in the short run is a different question - these places often simply don't have the infrastructure for democracy (free press, experience in power sharing, experience in non-violent transitions of power, rule of law, civilian control over the military, and so on), and it can't be forced on people unfamiliar with it.

Even if this is nothing more than a power grab by the military, it almost has to be better than what they had. Better than having Grace and her cronies succeed him. That the tribe running the militay isn't randomly murdering members of the other tribe is a very positive sign

Well, Bob is a revered hero to many in his tribe, as well as to others. Many of these people are poorly educated and impoverished and have seen nothing but pro-Mugabe propaganda for decades. Soft pedaling the current situation to avoid violence seems prudent.

Beyond that, Mugabe has been running a kleptocracy all these years. In doing so he's decimated the economy and society as a whole. In most non-western countries constitutions, courts, the rule of law are meaningless. When their governing documents serve the dictator, fine, when they don't they are ignored. Isn't it possible the military wants to remove Mugabe and his cronies, and install a government that begins to live up to the democratic standards they claim?

It's way too early to say that isn't their goal. Whether that's even possible in the short run is a different question - these places often simply don't have the infrastructure for democracy (free press, experience in power sharing, experience in non-violent transitions of power, rule of law, civilian control over the military, and so on), and it can't be forced on people unfamiliar with it.

Even if this is nothing more than a power grab by the military, it almost has to be better than what they had. Better than having Grace and her cronies succeed him. That the tribe running the militay isn't randomly murdering members of the other tribe is a very positive sign

Ii think we agree on pretty much all points. It even seems as though the military is going to put the man in power who would have been (it sounds like they didn't want his wife to be the new president...)

So far it appears to be bloodless, and it sounds like they will let Bob live out his years.

I'm just saying that it certainly smells like a coup (no matter what they call it to keep the people happy...)

It will be interesting to see if they continue down the road they are on, or if they manage to actually join the modern world.

Well, Bob is a revered hero to many in his tribe, as well as to others. Many of these people are poorly educated and impoverished and have seen nothing but pro-Mugabe propaganda for decades. Soft pedaling the current situation to avoid violence seems prudent.

Good post! I'd like to address most of the points made in it. Life expectancy in Zim is now 42 years old for men. Most have never known anything else in their living memory.

Beyond that, Mugabe has been running a kleptocracy all these years. In doing so he's decimated the economy and society as a whole. In most non-western countries constitutions, courts, the rule of law are meaningless. When their governing documents serve the dictator, fine, when they don't they are ignored. Isn't it possible the military wants to remove Mugabe and his cronies, and install a government that begins to live up to the democratic standards they claim?

Kind of like the Federal Reserve Act, War Powers Act, Patriot Act, and the state of the 4th Amendment in the USA. Thank God for the 2nd, huh?

It's way too early to say that isn't their goal. Whether that's even possible in the short run is a different question - these places often simply don't have the infrastructure for democracy (free press, experience in power sharing, experience in non-violent transitions of power, rule of law, civilian control over the military, and so on), and it can't be forced on people unfamiliar with it.

Even if this is nothing more than a power grab by the military, it almost has to be better than what they had. Better than having Grace and her cronies succeed him. That the tribe running the militay isn't randomly murdering members of the other tribe is a very positive sign

There is a certain "Democracy" at work in it; a "Balance of Terror" at the very least in a Coup by a Military Duma, simply due to the fact that there would be several armed factions at the table. It's certainly better than just ole Bob from the stand point that some possibility of change exists under it.

Watch yourself valor thief. My psych profile is murderer and thief, because, warfare is deception, and killing is what you do in the big leagues. Or did you think war was pushing buttons and filing reports? Of course you did. CONUS IMMUNITY!

All you know about warfare you’ve gotten off the internet and 2/3 of that is horse shit. Stick to being a groupie for your favorite rock stars. I bet you’ve got Justin Beeber’s autograph and maybe even a sample of his poo poo.

All you know about warfare you’ve gotten off the internet and 2/3 of that is horse shit. Stick to being a groupie for your favorite rock stars. I bet you’ve got Justin Beeber’s autograph and maybe even a sample of his poo poo.

You mean 2/3rds of it I put on the internet. The Military isn't difficult and warfare isn't hard. That's why it's used as a defacto jobs program for idiots like yourself. However, when real old-school meat and potatoes war fighting needs to happen, they call the PMC's now, because the Officer Corps ruined the US Military.

16 years against Bronze Age people with rusty AK's and you guys still couldn't win! 8X the adjusted dollar expenditure over World War FUCKING 2! Still couldn't win. Answer: OFFICER CORPS! The Officer Corps has to be done away with. Period.

Manangwaga was the point-man in the Crocodile Gang that kicked off the Bush War in earnest in '65 (just a young teen then). I guess he got his hands bloody at least where-as Bob just got one testicle removed from syphilis.

He won't last. He brought the 5th Brigade into wipe out the remnants of Nkomo's forces in '82. 35,000 slaughtered wholesale, and the world ignored it and Knighted Bob because he was "Blek."

I'd like to see Manangwaga go the way of "Rex Nhongo" (Solomon Mujuru) who died in a "Fire Fucking" accident (burned alive, locked in his Lappa screwing his mistress). They even cocked-up the funeral losing a "missing man" jet. Flamed out and crashed on the funeral party. LMAO! The N'deble have a long memory.